Has Real Become too Real?

For this assignment, I read the articles about real versus virtual experiences. Joe Frost mentioned that some schools have started to eliminate or limit recess or have completely abandoned outdoor play. It was not entirely clear what the reasons were for this occurrence. At our school, we encourage even the older students to have some outdoor play, whether after lunch or during physical education class. Many are from heavily urban areas, and sometimes their only outdoor play is during these times at school.

I liked how David Becker differentiated between gaming for fun/recreation and gaming addiction. The latter is governed by those activities consuming much more time than originally planned, and the individual continuing to engage in those activities despite adverse consequences. I think that the definition of this addiction could be extended to social media, the Internet, television, music, and other things that become detrimental in excess. For some of my students, I sometimes feel like smashing their smartphone, iPod, or gaming system to bits, not because I don't think they should have those things, but because they haven't learned how to use it wisely or because they have let it completely consume their lives. Becker's idea of looking at the emotional motives that cause this addiction and examining alternative ways to satisfy those needs was an excellent one. Some of these emotions can possibly be channeled into educational pursuits, athletics, or manual labor.

As for utilizing gaming in education, the articles didn't have a lot of specifics on schools that were actually doing this. In my opinion, games can be a part of the curriculum, but they should not be the only thing. When I have used educational games for classes, I have found that, as with so many other things, some students enjoy them a lot and some students don't like them. Real experiences, digital experiences, and teaching for different learning styles should all be part of what successful schools are using.

Let's Get Together, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

As a student, I disliked collaborative work for the reasons expressed by Ellen Lupton: violation of personal work schedule and sense of control, frustration over some people making only minimal contributions, and that groups were arbitrarily assigned without regard to skill sets or personalities.

As a teacher, I sometimes forgot about my own experience and didn't make the connection to why students might dislike group work. I would form groups on academic or personal lines without getting input from students and often put people in the same group who had difficulty coexisting.

One of my more successful collaborative projects went that way not only because of the project content but also because of how the groups were formed. The student groups were each supposed to produce a short version of the play "Romeo and Juliet" in a different time period and setting. They were responsible for writing the script, making staging decisions, providing props and costumes, and rehearsing and performing their play. I had about 20 students in the class, so I asked for four volunteers to be group leaders. They were responsible for picking the members of their teams and deciding on a structure for how their group operated. I also created a sheet where each student could assess the work done by his or her teammates and made that a part of their project grade. A couple of groups worked more smoothly than the others, but all of them successfully completed their projects and seemed to have a positive, rather than negative, experience.

Using technology and online tools for collaboration to help students achieve and propagate tacit knowledge is definitely an area where I need to improve. I am hoping to do a group project where students will produce print and online political ads before the end of the year. I would like to use some of the things I learned about collaboration to put into practice for these projects.

The Ancient World: It's Alive!

I had a great experience in completing this assignment. I had been interested in learning how to produce videos before but was not sure how to get started, so this assignment was extremely valuable for me personally and professionally. The tutorial was straight-forward and using Photo Story could not have been easier.

As a teacher, I know that I sometimes fall back on having students use PowerPoint as part of cutting-edge technology in my classes. While there's nothing inherently wrong with PowerPoint, it came out while I was in elementary school, and there have definitely been many more developments in technology since then. Being able to have students produce their own digital projects will not only help them learn new programs and processes, but it can help make their class presentations more valuable, more interesting, and more relevant. I agree with the assessment that they can also potentially increase student motivation, collaboration, and learning. I plan to use these programs as resources with my students.

I Love to Tell the Story, now in HD

Digital storytelling is the combined use of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements, including video, audio, text, pictures, and illustrations, to create a story for presentation. It is a medium that benefits both teachers and students. Teachers can use this format to illustrate certain topics, to present material in a more engaging way to students, to use as preparatory reading for lectures or tutorials, and to share thoughts and lesson plans with colleagues the world over. Students receive from this format the ability to collaborate on work, the opportunity to explore themes and research more obscure events, the chance to reflect on their own experiences and understand themselves in the context of the wider world, and the impetus to explore their own creativity.

I found it interesting that some studies have shown that digital storytelling and reusable learning objects seem to be more effective in motivating student attitudes and performance when used to introduce concepts rather than reviewing them. I absolutely find the use of digital storytelling to be appropriate for my teaching. I have used short videos from YouTube in classes to put a concept or event into visual and audio form. That is the way I like to learn, and I do that for those learners in class as well. I like to use videos that have been made by students to showcase to my students how they are relatively simple to make and put out into the digital landscape. Whenever they criticize one for not being good, I challenge them to improve upon that person's work.

The two examples of digital storytelling I reviewed were the Gettysburg Address and President Kennedy's "Race to the Moon" speech. I feel that both would be appropriate for school. I preferred the first video because it presented some concept for the events surrounding the Gettysburg Address and also provided applications for students to explore the larger context of the Civil War and its effects on the nation. It also used relevant photographs, paintings, and illustrations to accompany the audio text of the speech, as the original delivery obviously took place long before video technology existed. The Kennedy speech production was good, but it provided no context for the event, so those unfamiliar with it were likely to remain so. While it had relevant pictures to accompany the audio text of the speech, it made no use of the actual video of the speech, which I know exists because one of my students used in a presentation on Kennedy.

Google Reader and its Applications

At first, I was a little wary about this assignment because it didn't seem like this would be useful to me, but one thing I have learned in this class is that I sometimes need to overcome my prejudices in trying new things. It did take an investment of time and some trial and error (I particularly had issues with the Delicious section. I tried a different stack than the recommended one, so I don't know if that's what was giving me trouble or if I simply wasn't doing it right), but I eventually was able to complete these tasks with minimal stress. One item of note: this blog is from a few years ago, so I used a different email address to set it up than the one for Google Reader. If you have two different addresses, you cannot be signed into both simultaneously.

For professional development, a huge benefit of RSS feeds is a streamlining of the process for getting information. As a teacher, I often feel like I float somewhere between two extremes: 1. missing out on good information because of time constraints and happening on it only by accident; or 2. having my email inbox buried with 50 messages containing links to new ideas. With your own feed, you can manipulate from where you get information and how quickly you go through it. Benefits for students would include the ability to personalize to their own tastes where they get information for assignments. This is a big deal for many students, and the reason that some lose their motivation for completing assignments is that they all do not process information the same way when it is presented. Giving them some ownership of how they learn would likely increase their motivation. Another benefit would be allowing them to learn responsibility for how they allocate their time in the balance between school time and personal time. This is another tool that can be abused by students if they are not instructed in the appropriate way of using it.

From Functional to "Inconceiveable!": the SAMR Model

I enjoyed learning about Dr. Peuntedura's model, and the steps that are available toward utilizing technology to educate in a more fulfilling way. For some instances where I thought I was being clever or creative, the ideas I had ended up on the lower end of the spectrum.

In the Substitution area, I give weekly spelling tests to my younger students and vocabulary tests to my older students. In preparation for these, they are to learn the definition of each word and be able to use it correctly in a sentence. Many students prefer using digital tools for this assignment, such as dictionary.com. While it is a technological tool, functionally it is no different than using a print dictionary.

For Augmentation, I assigned my students an activity of balancing the U.S. national budget. An online New York Times interactive feature included programs that could be cut or modified, and it would automatically track the savings earned by each action. I encouraged students not to look simply at the numbers but to also think through the repercussions of their actions for what would happen by deleting or changing funding for certain programs. This added to the task of balancing a budget the idea of seeing how decisions can have unintended effects on others.

In Modification, I experienced an example similar to the one shown by Dr. Peuntedura, but one that is perhaps still unique in its own right. I took a class in college from a professor who was a colleague of the one who created the Southern History Database. Our class was on the topic of Gilded Age America, so the students entered items into a database featuring political, economic, railroad, technological, and social events of the time. The items were shown on a map at the geographical location where they occurred along with descriptions of the events that we had written. Not only was it an interesting experience, it modified the traditional reporting style from one of words on paper to a digital map that all of us contributed to and could see.

For Redefinition, I will describe another instance from when I was college student and served as a student association officer. Traditionally, the officers introduced themselves as a group in some way to the freshmen and new students. Over time, this had evolved from the officers saying their names up front to the officers creating a digital introduction via a video. The group before us had done a short one-minute video that spoofed a popular, contemporary television commercial. Our group decided to make a 45-minute film. Not only did we create a plot in which to introduce ourselves, but we also showed many locations around the school and the city as an introduction to a completely new environment for many of these students. This video was used for the beginning of the year event and was also shared among the returning students and teachers and became somewhat popular. Over a few short years, the idea of making introductions had been completely redefined.

Staying Power or Passing Fancy?: 21st Century Skills

To summarize briefly the aims of the 21st Century Skills movement, students are to gain preparation for the workplace, civic engagement, and citizenship while also attaining the skills of innovation, self-direction, technology literacy, and global awareness. I think these are all worthy goals, but my question is why do some schools and teachers need to be told to teach these things? It seems to me that in our curricula, school programs, and outside school activities, we should be naturally leading toward these goals.

At our school, one of the most popular things for my students is when we do community service activities in their neighborhoods. Not only does this allow them to give back, but it also exposes them to the need for them to be leaders and become engaged in their own communities. This is something that we as teachers need to take the initiative in introducing because in our current electronic world, it is very easy for students to remain holed up in their home without becoming acquainted with anyone around them.

At the same time, I do agree with some criticisms of the 21st Century Skills movement. I am concerned that the education field seems to find a new "it" program or idea quite often. As a teacher, I sometimes feel like I have whiplash from slamming on the brakes to end one program and then starting to learn a new one that will soon be implemented. Though a main point of contention from the Mathews and Rotherham was the need for content and skills teaching to remain integrated, I do not believe that the 21st Century Skills program was seeking to do such a thing, so this criticism seemed a bit invalid.

However, I did find valid their point that schools seem somewhat disjointed on how to accomplish the goals of this movement. One school created a digital classroom; another introduced several new courses; a third created a community/school interactive forum; a final one changed their instructional program. Schools, especially those in the Adventist system, do not always have the luxury of being able to pull off so many transformational changes at once due to the limits of time, money, staffing, or all three. If all these changes happen too quickly and/or prove unsuccessful, as Mathews and Rotherham suggested, we risk upsetting many teachers, confusing several students, and making the process for change even more difficult.

It seems to me that we in education should already be doing at least some of the things suggested by the 21st Century Skills movement. If we are, then this movement will not be a fad but should become the status quo. But if we are not and we prove too resistant, we may be in deeper trouble than we realized.

Week 1: Putting It Together

This short video features a variation on the classic story of Rip Van Winkle. In this version, Winkle awakens from his 100-year slumber and explores the surrounding world. He finds that great advances have been made in the business and medical sectors but that the education field has remained largely familiar.

On iTunes U, I selected the video "Introduction to 21st Century Worksheets" from the Nebraska Department of Education. The main purpose of creating these type of worksheets is to get students into the habits of practicing themselves and being able to teach others to reach a higher level of memory retention.

These worksheets were created in Adobe Acrobat Pro. An example in math that taught the concept of borrowing allowed students to make electronic corrections similar to what they would do with pencil and paper. Another example in higher-level classes allowed for embedding audio and video files to supplement the worksheet content. They could also use the comments feature in Acrobat to record audio feedback about the worksheet.

Week 1: Where in the world am I?

The idea from "Did You Know 4.0" that it is easier than ever to reach people but harder to connect really spoke to me. There are so many ways to reach the students of today, but it has become extremely difficult to figure out how best to do that.

When the speaker in "Those Wacky Kids" referenced co-presence, I could immediately relate. I am frequently amused when my students say that they didn't know about a particular assignment or event because they were gone from school, but if there was a piece of gossip floating around or a confrontational incident, they know all about that due to their connectivity. I suppose that one of our challenges as teachers is to bridge the gap toward communicating across space useful, rather than generally useless, information. Communication is a powerful tool if utilized properly, and rather than shutting it down completely, we should harness the influence that it can have upon spreading the proper things.

While I agreed with many points Thomas Friedman made in "The World is Flat," I also feel that it is quite easy to remain isolated in the present world. The introduction of the do-all Smart Phone enables people to go off into their own little world, do only the things they want to do, and not be challenged with new ideas and tastes (all related to the dying art of conversation). Constructivism has its place, but without at least some guidelines I have found that a lot of today's students will generally drift toward what they already know and like. I try to use today's technologies to showcase "old-school" skills or information. While I am not always successful with this, it helps to keep students more focused while also introducing them to things they may not have previously encountered and likely will not if they simply remain with what is familiar to them.

"The Mr. Winkle Wakes" video skewered the fact that schools have not changed recently. I think that in education we do need to keep up with new technologies to maintain student interest but a wholesale revamping of what school is and how it works would not be in the best interests of the students or teachers. There should remain a bifurcation of what we are in our free time versus what we are in our work/professional time. Students can certainly have their "hyperconnectivity" when appropriate, but even today few jobs afford people that kind of freedom while they are at work. That is why I feel we should meet somewhere in the middle with students without completely converting to that style.

The Hell's Kitchen Final Four as U.S. Presidents

Hell's Kitchen is one of my must-see television shows. I have not missed an episode since it's inception. While some seasons have been stronger than others, the show remains almost constantly entertaining, largely due to the presence of Chef Gordon Ramsay. What has fascinated me about this particular season has been the fact that none of the contestants has really stood out head and shoulders above the others. Each chef has strengths that are counterbalanced by glaring weaknesses, whether in technique or character. These particular comparisons were inspired by Jay's frequent justifications, and his may be the strongest, though feel free to judge for yourselves.

Jay: Bill Clinton. Jay never seems to be able to bring himself to admit any wrongdoing, even when evidence to the contrary is shoved in his face. A prime example was when Chef Ramsay cooked a frozen entree for the palate challenge. Jay waxed eloquent about how it was fresh and vibrant. After Ramsay revealed that it had been pre-prepared, Jay switched his tune to the meat tasting old. Throw in his spirited pursuit of Holli, and the only thing for Jay left to do is say, "Well, it depends on what your definition of the word chef is." Is Jay able to keep being more Slick Willie than disgraced Bill?

Holli: John F. Kennedy. As one of the better-looking chefs, Holli has been a victim of the classic HK editing with extended glances, bubbly giggles, and superimposed suggestive music. With all that, some may overlook the fact that she has significant culinary talents and has performed arguably the best of all the chefs in dinner services. Some critics dismissed Kennedy as a prettyboy player until he proved that there was something behind the facade. Where does Holli fall on the plane of style versus substance?

Autumn: John Tyler. After having been put up for elimination by her teammates in seemingly every show in recent memory, it is safe to say that Autumn does not have many friends. John Tyler was so despised in his lifetime that he was rejected by not one, but two political parties (the Whigs refused to nominate him for president in the 1844 election, an ironic reversal of Autumn's similar situation). Late in life, Tyler won election as a representative to the Confederate Congress. Will failure in HK cause renegade Autumn to go back to law school?

Benjamin: Calvin Coolidge. For all his bluster about his experience, creativity, and talents, Benjamin usually comes out a disappointing dud in dinner services. Not only that, he is also the most silent chef I can recall on HK. The man simply does not talk to his teammates, greatly to his detriment as Ramsay threatened to eliminate him on the spot recently if he did not start sharing. Coolidge once famously refused to help a reporter win a contest of getting him to say more than three words at a meal with one of the greatest two-word putdowns in history, "You lose." Will Benjamin's laconic ways also cause him to lose?

I plan to keep watching, as I have always done, to find out. The same I cannot confirm for the new show "Master Chef," but that is something for another time.

Thoughts on Elena Kagan

First, a disclaimer. I likely hold several views ideologically opposite of those held by Elena Kagan, so I approach this issue with that bias. Moreover, it appears that she will sail through the confirmation vote with flying totals due mostly to the Democratic Supermajority Less One. Still, I feel there are a few pertinent reasons why Ms. Kagan is not the ideal candidate for the Supreme Court that some have painted her to be.

First, Ms. Kagan has never been a judge. Her supporters continually skirt this issue by pointing to the fact that she has served in other positions traditionally held by Supreme Court appointees: judicial clerk, academia, and public offices. However, this fails to recognize that none of these positions perform the same task as a judge. A clerk is usually told what to do, where to look, and what to search for. An academic can wield significant influence in presenting personal opinions, through teaching and writing, that sometimes go unchallenged. A public servant must represent the views of the government. Even in her current, and arguably most prestigious, post of Solicitor General, Ms. Kagan is bound to always argue and support the position of the Obama Administration. A judge must fairly and impartially apply existing law and precedent in evaluating the case presently before him or her. While I have no doubt that Ms. Kagan is far more intelligent than I, lacking a clear record of judicial rulings, it is nearly impossible to trace her fair, impartial legal reasoning. I am not sure how the ABA can deem her "well qualified" in this area aside from mere guesswork and supreme optimism. Simply having been a teacher does not make me "well qualified" to be Secretary of Education and run a government department, but perhaps the ABA would endorse me.

Second, even more glaring in the absence of such rulings, Kagan repeatedly declined to answer questions directly in the nomination hearings. Her supporters repeatedly referred to her as intelligent and possessing a sense of humor. Clearly, what the Supreme Court has lacked all these years is a stand-up comedian. Call me crazy, but I would much prefer to know a nominee's legal reasoning than be entertained by her sense of humor, but if I was a senator I would have been in the minority on that one apparently.

Third, Kagan marks the second straight judicial nomination for President Obama (after Sonia Sotomayor, of course) who is childless. Now, as a man, I am sure I will be barking up the wrong tree here, but it seems to me that it is much easier for a woman who has never been through the birth process to rule that abortion should remain legal. One such nominee is merely interesting, but two in a row suggests a pattern that Obama may continue if given the chance.

Finally, haven't we dealt with such a nominee before? Flash back to 2005, when President Bush nominated Harriet Miers. There were howls of how she was unqualified, how she was a political flunky that would do whatever Bush wanted, and how it was so outrageous. Kagan shares many parallels with Miers (aside from graduating and working in the Ivy League, which is becoming basically a prerequisite for becoming a SC justice, however irrelevant that may be). The response this time? Very few mainstream media outlets have said any of those things about Kagan. I think a major reason that Obama picked Kagan is so that he could have someone on the Court who thinks very similarly to him.

Where is the outrage? Apparently, it was almost entirely spent on the Bush Administration. Though Obama has done several questionable things as well, fewer people are holding his feet to the fire. Sadly, the country will not improve significantly until more people start holding this president accountable for his decisions.

Nothing and Everything

To say John Adams was disappointed in being the nation's first vice president, instead of president, would be a slight understatement. Adams railed against his position as being "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." However, in the midst of his discouragement and perceived unimportance, Adams also saw an opportunity. He stated, "In this I am nothing, but I may be everything."

As a young adult in the Adventist Church, I frequently identify with Adams' view of the Vice Presidency of the United States. Church leaders endlessly talk about how young people are the future of the body, but when push comes to shove, many of them bar the ability of young people to participate in or exert influence in church operations.

In some churches I have visited, it is interesting to see how much of the service shows off the work or research that a pastor, an adult Sabbath School group, an elder, or church staff may be doing. However, accomplishments of younger people are often minimized or completely ignored.

The solution to this is not an elegant one. The proliferation of many church plants or separate worship services geared toward younger people have arisen in recent years partly as a response to the fact that this demographic group feels largely neglected by the church. My activities have been mostly to serve as a deacon, fill-in Sabbath School teacher, and usher. While these duties are important, the fact remains that this is often the most involved a young person may hope to become in church as long as older individuals continue to maintain a monopoly on church operations.

I was afforded the opportunity several months ago to give a sermon. What I regret now is that I did not use that forum to give voice to how my current generation feels about church and why so many of us have made the decision to avoid it. It may be some time before I get another chance to take a platform with similar freedom of speech, but I hope that when it does come around I will be able to say something that makes a difference. It may be nothing, but it could be everything.